ASHEVILLE - It’s finally starting to feel like fall in Western North Carolina now that the abnormally high and mostly unwelcome October heat has lifted.

The leaves are finally brightening, wood smoke is more pungent, and hunters are staking out their stealthy, tree-top hideaways in the hopes of bagging a white-tailed deer.

But too often, that eagerness to get off a good shot can overrule common sense, ending in injury, or worse.

According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, there were 27 hunting-related accidents during the 2017-2018 hunting season in North Carolina, including five deaths, the highest number in the past six years.

Contrary to popular belief that firearms are the most dangerous part of hunting, tree stand accidents are the leading cause of injury to hunters every year, Clark said.

Out of the non-fatal accidents, 15 were firearm related and seven were tree stand related.

“Most of these accidents are avoidable. Always remember to wear a fall-arrest system and use it properly. Also, follow your tree stand manufacturer’s recommended safety procedures. This little bit of precaution can mean all the difference when out in the field,” he said.

A record number of antlered bucks were harvested during the 2017-2018 deer hunting season in Western North Carolina.(Photo: Courtesy of Melissa McGaaw/NCWRC)

One fatality occurred each in Burke, Edgecombe and Montgomery counties, and two in Stanly County.

“They either didn’t wear their safety harness or didn’t use it property, lost their balance and had nothing tying them to the tree and fell to the ground,” Clark said.

“One was wearing a harness but was not attached to the tree – he was in a transition period of either climbing up or down. A big mistake people make is they don’t attach themselves while they’re climbing. Four out of the five weren’t wearing any harness,” he said.

In the 2016-17 hunting season, there were 22 injuries related to hunting across the state, including three deaths. All were from tree stand falls, said Nancy Boykin in the Wildlife Commission's law enforcement processing office.

One of the fatal accidents was in Mitchell County, one in Rowan and one in Stanly, she said.

In the 2015-16 hunting season there were three hunting fatalities and 21 injuries; in 2014-15 there were four fatal accidents, and 20 non-fatal injuries, such as broken legs and wrenched knees.

During the last hunting season there were 590,000 licensed hunters in North Carolina, Clark said, although that number is reached through a formula taking into account hunting licenses sold in that season and number of people with lifetime licenses, and doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of people hunting last year.

‘Explosion’ in tree stand use

Tree stands are elevated structures that hunters use to improve their hunting success, since they take hunters out of the line of sight of deer and above their noses. They are widely used across Western North Carolina because of the mountainous terrain and towering trees that make deer spotting more difficult.

Clark said he bought his first tree stand in the mid-90s. Before that, he said, most were homemade, wood contraptions nailed to a tree, and it was rare to find one that was manufactured.

“Now that they are making them safer and hunters are realizing the advantages of it, tree stands have definitely exploded,” Clark said. “Our mission now is awareness – letting people know the dangers of not wearing proper safety equipment, but also wearing improper safety equipment. In the early days they came with a tether, usually a strap around chest and tied to a tree. The unintended consequences were disastrous.”

He said tree stand manufacturers started looking to professional pole climbers such as utility workers and noted they were all using five-point harnesses. While the harnesses – which retail starting at about $80 at shops such as Field & Stream – are getting safer, there are still no laws mandating their use.

“The top three reasons people give for not wearing a harness is ‘I’ve not fallen yet, so I won’t fall now;’ ‘I don’t have time to put it on;’ or ‘I’m careful when I climb,’” Clark said.

A hunter uses a rope to raise his rifle up to his tree stand. Tree stand falls are the No. 1 cause of hunting-related deaths.(Photo: Courtesy of Melissa McGaw/N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission)

Anytime a hunter leaves the ground, he should be properly buckled into a full body harness, Clark said.

The platforms can be as high as 20-30 feet off the ground. Deaths usually occur from blunt force trauma to the head, he said. Falls from even lower heights can cause death or serious injury such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries and paralysis when a hunter is wearing only a ball cap and not a helmet, and isn’t using a harness or using it properly.

“Take your time, be prepared, and don’t cut corners when hunting from a tree stand,” Clark said. “If you’re properly equipped and using the equipment as it’s intended, chances for an accident are reduced drastically. The goal is to enjoy the hunt, but ultimately to come home safely.”

Firearms still a cause of accidents

Fatalities and injuries involving firearms are not as common, but state rules require hunters to know their target before shooting, be absolutely certain it's a game animal, and know what's behind and beyond the target.

Hunter safety experts say hunters should not rely on a firearm scope, but use binoculars to identify their target, and they should maintain firearm proficiency to build their marksmanship skills.

Hunting safety rules also require hunters to wear an outer garment such as a cap or vest in blaze orange that is visible from all sides when hunting bear, feral hogs, deer, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, pheasant or quail with a firearm.

Hunters are also required to wear blaze orange while hunting with a bow on Sunday during the black powder and gun seasons.

Wearing orange or other bright colors is a smart move for anyone using the woods during hunting season, including anglers, hikers, mountain bikers, dog walkers, bird watchers and others.

Deer hunting season with black powder in Western North Carolina is open through Oct. 13. Archery season is Oct. 14-Nov. 18 and Dec. 9-Jan. 1, 2019. Deer hunting with modern firearms opens Nov. 19, the Monday before Thanksgiving, and closes Dec. 8.

Bear hunting season in Western North Carolina is Oct. 15-Nov. 17 and Dec. 10-Jan. 1.

“Home From the Hunt” tree stand safety recommendations:

Do not exceed the stand manufacturer’s maximum height or weight settings.

Before use, check the stand’s belts, chains, bolts and attachment cords for damage and wear.

Select a healthy, straight tree for your tree stand.

Set up the stand with another person.

Let someone know where you are setting up your stand ahead of time.

Bring an emergency signal device, such as a cell phone or a whistle.

Use a full-body safety harness at all times and remain connected to the tree from the time you leave the ground to the time you return to the ground.

Use a lineman’s belt and/or lifeline with a proper knot when climbing or descending.

Use a haul line to raise and lower equipment. Never carry anything as you climb.

Most falls occur when climbing up or down a stand, so always maintain three points of contact.